Chain ladder



WITNESS.

H. P. HOPP ETAL CHAIN LADDER Filed June 30, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTORS A? Hopp 5014/4/20 Ky 54 MAN fig ATTORNEYS May 16, 1944. H. P.HOPP ETAL CHAIN LADDER Filed June 30, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 'A/ZEZM A/5 ATTORNEYS Patented May 16, 1944 CHAIN LADDER Harold P. Hopp,Englewood, N. .L, and Edward Kunzelman, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignorsto H. K. Metal Craft Manufacturing 00., New

York, N. Y.

Application June 30, 1943, Serial No. 492,790

1s Claims. (01. 228-40) This invention relates to flexible ladders ofthe type which employ chain side stiles, wooden steps and wooden spacingears and the subject matter thereof constitutes an improvement over thestructure illustrated in our copending application, Serial No. 481,663,filed April 3, 1943.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel constructionwhich will permit of the use of wood instead of metal as material forthe ladder steps and spacing ears.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel constructionfor securing the steps and spacing ears to the side stiles to form theladder stantially on the line 2--2 of-Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure-4 is a horizontal sectional View on an enlarged scale takensubstantially on the line -l4 of Figure l, and; I

Figure 5 is a-distended perspective View illustrating the severalelements of the structure, except for theside stiles.

Referring to the drawings by reference character, l6 designates theladder steps, H designates the spacing ears, and l2 designates the sidestiles.

As best illustrated in Figure 4, each of the steps ill consists of twotread members L'l maintained in rigid spaced relation by spacing membersM which are secured to the ends of the tread members it by suitablefastenings it, herein illustrated as rivets. The tread members l3 areformed from wood, and the spacing members are in the form of channelsbetween the side walls of which the ends of the tread members aresecured as above described.

The spacing ears H are also formed of wood and are oval in shape. Uponits inner face, each spacing ear is provided with a recess It near wallof the channel member.

each end, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. H 1

The side stiles l2 are of link chain of a conventional type. Each linkof the chain has two parallel leg portions I! which are looped as at I8to receive the next adjacent link, the opposite ends of the legs I!being connected by a length l9 which is received in the looped portionit of the next adjacent link.

The side walls of the channel members M are cut out as at. H) to permitof the channel members being threaded upon the side stiles l2. The cutout portions IS. in the, channel members are so positioned as. to .liein the spacebetween the two tread. members which form the step and arepreferably of such dimension as to prevent, engagement .of the sidestiles with the adjacent portions of the tread members of the steps.

As will be noted by. reference to Figure 5, the base wall 2] of each ofthe channel members is provided at a point substantially central of itsends with an opening 20 and. thebase wall 2% surrounding the opening 20is countersunk or depressed inwardly of the channelmember as at 22 for apurpose to be hereinafter described.

In addition to the channel members forming means for retaining the treadmembers of the steps in spaced relation, they form means which providefor. attachment of the steps to the stiles as will now be described.

For attaching the ends of the steps 'to the stiles, 'a' clip 23 isemployed. This clip has a main body portion 24 in which is formed twospaced channels 25 which latter receive and embrace the leg portions llof that link of a side stile to which the end of the step is to beattached with the main body portion of the clip lying betwee the'legs I!of said clip.

Theclip 23 has an opening 26 which registers with the aforementionedopening 20 in the base The clip 23 is secured to the base wall of thechannel member by means of a riv'et' 21 which is passed through thealined openings of the channel member and the clip.

' Additional means may be employed for securing the clip 23 to thechannel member and this means comprises two lugs 28 which pass throughopenings 29 in'the base wall'of the channel member and which are turnedover as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The spacing ears l'l are'secured to the channel member I l by means ofrivets 30 which pass through openings 3| in the spacing ears andopenings 32 in the base walls of the channel members. The side stiles l2are disposed upon the inner faces of the spacing ears 'I 2 and in suchrelative position thereto that the looped portions l8 of the link of thestiles will be received in the recesses I6 of the spacing ears thuspermitting the side stiles to lie in engagement with the inner faces ofthe spacing ears at those points between the recesses IB and theirrespective ends of the spacing ears.

It will be noted that the inner faces of the spacing ear H have a tightcontact fit with the outer face of channel members, this being permittedby reason of the fact that the outer heads of the rivets 21 lie in theheretofore mentioned countersunk or depressed portions 22 of the basewalls of the channel members.

Means is also provided to secure the side stiles 12 to the spacing earsH at points above and below the steps and near the ends of the spacingcars.

This means is herein illustrated as consisting of clips 40, each ofwhich has two spaced channels 41 for receiving the legs of a link of theside stile and the clip is secured to the spacing ear by means of arivet 42 which passes through an opening 43 in the spacing ear and anopening 44 in the clip.

Between the spacing ears H, the side stile':

are each provided with a protective covering 45.

This protective covering 45 is preferably in the form of a sleeve ofcanvas or other suitable material threaded upon the side stiles andthese sleeves are of sufiicient length that they may be secured at theirends to the inner fac of the spacing ears by the clips and the rivets42. heretofore mentioned, a illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

In assembling the several parts to form the ladder, the channel membersl4 and the protective coverings are alternately threaded upon suitablelengths of chain which are to form the side stiles of the ladder.

The channel members M are next secured to the side stiles by the clips23, the rivet 21 and the lugs 28. The next step in the assembly is theattachment of the side stiles 12 to the channel members I4 by means ofthe rivets 35! after which the side stiles are attached to the spacingears II by the clips 40 and the rivets 42.

These operations complete the assembly of the side stiles, after whichthe step forming tread members are secured between the side walls of thechannel members by the rivets l5.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides a flexible ladder which is of simple construction. readilyassembled and highly efiicient for the purposes intended.

Furthermore, by attachment of the side stiles o the spacing ears at theends thereof and to e ends of the steps at points intermediate of theends of the ears, any rocking movement o he steps relative to the sidestiles is reduced to a minimum.

The invention has been herein illustrated in its preferred form, but itis to be understood that it is not to be limited to the specificconstructions s own and that it may be carried out in suc other forms asrigthly fall within the sco e of the ap ended claims.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new is:

1. A ladder of the type described com rising in combination, steps,spacing ears and flexible side stiles, channel members carried by theends of the steps, the side walls of said channel members having cut outportions to receive the side stiles therein, means for securing each ofthe channel members to its respective side stiles, and means forsecuring each of the side stiles to its respective spacing ear.

2. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, steps,spacing ars and side stiles in the form of link chains, channel memberscarried by the ends of the steps, the side walls of said channel memberhaving cut out portions to receive the side stiles therein, means forsecuring each of the channel members to its respective side stile, andseparate means for securing each of the side stiles to its respectivespacing ear upon opposite sides of the step.

3. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, woodensteps, wooden spacing ears, and side stiles in the form of link chains,channel members embracing the ends of the steps with their base wallsdisposed outwardly of the ends of the steps, said channel members havingtheir side walls cut out to permit of passing the side stilestherethrough, means for securing each of the side stiles to the innerface of the base wall of its respective channel member, means forsecuring the spacing ars to their respective channel members, and meansfor securing the stiles to their respective spacing ears upon oppositesides of the step,

4. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, woodensteps. spacing ears and side stiles in the form of link chains, channelmembers carried by the ends of the steps, the side walls of the channelmembers being cut out to permit of the passage of the side stilestherethrough, a stile link embracing clip for securing each of the sidestiles to the base wall of its respective channel member, means forsecuring said clip to the channel member, means for securing each of thechannel members to its respective spacing ear, and separate means forattaching each of the spacing ears to its respective side stile uponopposite sides of the step.

5. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, woodensteps, spacing ears and side stiles in the form of link chains, channelmembers carried by the ends of the steps, the side walls of the channelmembers being cut out to permit of the passage of the side stilestherethrough. a stile link embracing clip for securing each of the sidestiles to the base wall of its respective channel member, means forsecuring said clip to the channel member, means for securing each of thechannel members to its respective spacing ear, and separate means forattach ng each of the spacing ears to its respective side stile uponopposite sides of the step. said last mentioned means comprising stilelink embracing clips and means for securing said clips to the spacingears.

6. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, steps.spacing ears and flexible side stiles. channel members carried by theends of the steps. the side walls of the channel members being cut outto permit of the passage of the side st les therethrough, a stileembracing clip for securing each of the side stiles to the inner face ofthe base wall of its respective channel member, means including a rivetfor securing each of said stile embracing clips to its respectivechannel member, means for attaching each of the channel members to itsrespective spacing ear, and means for attaching each of the spacing earsto its respective side stile at points upon opposite sides of the step.

7. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, steps,spacing ears and side stiles in the form of link chains, channel memberscarried by the ends of the steps, the side walls of the channel membershaving cut out portions to receive the side stiles therein, a stile linkembracing clip for securing each of the side stiles to the inner face ofthe base wall of its respective channel member, means comprising a rivetpassing through a side stile link and the base wall of the channelmember, and lugs integral with the clip and passing through openings inthe base wall of the channel member for securing each of said stile linkembracing clips to its respective channel member, means for securingeach of the channel members to its respective spacing ear, and means forattaching each of the spacing ears to its respective side stile atpoints upon opposite sides of the step.

8. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, steps,spacing ears and side stiles in the form of link chains, channel memberscarried by the ends of the steps, the side walls of the channel memberhaving cut out portions to receive the side stiles therein, a stile linkembracing clip for securing each of the side stiles to the inner face ofthe base wall of its respective channel member, means comprising a rivetpassing through a side stile link and the base wall of the channelmember, and lugs integral with the clip and passing through openings inthe base wall of the channel member for securing each of said stile linkembracing clips to its respective channel member, means for securingeach of the channel members to its respective spacing ear, means forattaching each of the spacing ears to its respective side stile atpoints upon opposite sides of the step, and means for securing each ofsaid spacing ears to its respective channel member.

9. In a chain ladder, side stiles, steps and spacing ears carried by thesteps at the ends thereof, means for securing the steps to the sidestiles and the spacing ears, protective coverings for the side stiles,said protective coverings comprising flexible sleeves enclosing the sidestiles and extending from each spacing ear to the next adjacent spacingear, and means for securing the ends of the protective coverings totheir respective spacing ears, and a single means for securing the endsof the protective coverings to their respective spacing ears and thespacing ears to the side stiles.

10. In a chain ladder, side stiles, steps and spacing ears carried bythe steps at the ends thereof, means for securing the steps to the sidestiles and the spacing ears, protective coverings for the side stiles,said protective coverings comprising fleXible sleeves enclosing the sidestiles and extending from each spacing ear to the next adjacent spacingear, and means for securing the ends of the protective coverings totheir respective spacing ears, and a single means for securing the endsof the protective coverings to their respective spacing ears and thespacing ears to the side stiles, said means including a side stileembracing and protective cover clamping clip, and means for securing theclip to the spacing ear.

11. A ladder of the type described comprising in combination, woodensteps, spacing ears, and side stiles in the form of link chains, channelmembers carried by the ends of the steps, the side walls of the channelmembers being cut out to permit of the passage of the side stilestherethrough, a side stile embracing clip for securing each of the sidestiles to the base wall of its respective channel member, meansincluding a rivet passing through the chain embracing clip and the basewall of the channel member and lugs carried by the chain embracing clipand passing through openings in the base wall of the channel member forattaching each of the chan nel members to its respective side stile, andmeans for attaching each of the spacing ears to its respective sidestile at points upon opposite sides of the step.

12. In a chain ladder having side stiles in the form of link chains,spacing ears, protective sleeve coverings for the side stiles, and asingle means for securing the ends of the protective coverings to saidears and to the links of said side stiles.

13. A ladder having flexible suspensory members, rungs composed of aplurality of sections, the sections of each rung spaced from one anotherin a transverse direction, spacing disks for spacing the ladder from thestructure with which it is being used, said rungs being connected tosaid spacing disks, clips for connecting said disks to said suspensorymembers, said flexible suspenory members composed of chain links, andflexible non-metallic boots enclosing said chains, said clips engagingthe ends of said boots to secure them in place.

HAROLD P. HOPP. EDWARD KUNZELMAN.

